Summer Inspiration

Sometimes when the weather is gorgeous, the temperature is perfect, and the sun is shining brightly, it's hard to stay inside at a computer to work. Even worse is trying to come up with ideas for stories or articles when the garden or beach or forest is calling to you.


I used to try and fight my urge to go outside and be in nature during the summer months, and while I spent a lot of time at my computer, my writing suffered. My mind was elsewhere, and no matter what I did, I couldn't come up with a writing topic.


Now I don't fight these urges. Instead I let myself take a bit of time to be in nature, and I've gotten great ideas as a result. But on the days I simply must sit and work, I've even come up with writing prompts to keep my mind from fighting the summer weather without sacrificing my writing and writing time. Some have to do with weather, others with animals, a couple deal with vacations, but all get me in the summer mindset.


I find that when I embrace the weather instead of fighting it, the summer becomes an ally in my writing life instead of a distraction. I don't feel guilty for thinking about what's waiting outside my window. And then, when I've been writing about the family of ducks that lives in our pond all morning, my break is all the sweeter at lunch time when I go feed them from my stale bread bag.


Happy scribbling!
NP